Spring migration of seabirds on the Pacific Coast of Oregon

About

This blog is written by three enthusiastic birders from Sweden, Jon Jörpeland, Rasmus Elleby and Jacob Rudhe. We’ll be watching and counting the spring migration of seabirds from Boiler Bay, Lincoln County in Oregon from 13th of April until the 5th of May. All of us grew up in Stockholm, Sweden and have known each other since our early teens when we started to watch birds in general and migration in particular.

Last year plans were made for a trip to watch the migration of seabirds along the West Coast of North America. The choice fell on Boiler Bay, one of the best places in Oregon to watch migrating seabirds on their journey towards their breeding grounds further up north. We hope that this blog will inspire more people to discover seabird migration and further highlight the huge potential of the Oregon coastline.

That is the first report of Short-finned Pilot Whale that I have heard of from there. I have only seen a few even offshore. Very nice. I have birded from there and the nearby condominiums for many years and have seen seen three whale species (no Humpback or pilot) in addition to Orcas. I haven’t seen Eared Grebe, Ring-necked Duck or Snow Goose from that site. You are “killing it”. I think the best numbers are coming for you very soon. Have fun.

If the weather forecast holds, you should be swiming in birds by the weekend! The shorebird migration peak varies from year to year but on the south coast (Coos County) it typical has been the last few days of April and first few days of May the past decade or so. A few years back Dave Lauten and Kathy Castelein counted an estimated 400,000 shorebirds (mostly W. Sandpipers) in the Bandon area while doing their Snowy Plover survey work, I believe that was on 2 May 2006. The movement really peaks up with NW winds which are predicted for later this week and weekend. Should be lots of birds- enjoy!

Hi Tim! Thanks for the promising forecast and we hope you’re right! We’ve noticed that wind from the NW seems to be in favour for both good numbers and observation distances of the birds. Do you have any ideas why our numbers of loons have been so low? Could most of them already have migrated north but further away from the coast or are they just late? Regards!

Look alike you’re having a great time! Wanted to provide you with totals from my two sea watches from Pt Brown Jetty at the south end of Ocean Shores in Gray’s Harbor County, Washington. Results are quite different than yours for last Thursday and Saturday mornings. What’s your e-mail?